Frank Kaminsky's diverse skillset could be Wisconsin's ticket to the Final Four

Wisconsin Badgers forward Frank Kaminsky (44) high-fives head coach Bo Ryan (right) against the Baylor Bears during the second half in the semifinals of the west regional of the 2014 NCAA Mens Basketball Championship tournament at Honda Center. The Badgers defeated the Bears 69-52. Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Frank Kaminsky’s breakout this season has been well-chronicled, so it’s likely the Baylor Bears understood what they would face. But it’s hard to get the full picture of just what the seven-foot junior can do … until it happens to you.

Kaminsky scored 19 points, blocked six shots and added three assists to lead the No. 2 seed Badgers to a 69-52 win over the No. 6 seed Baylor. He scored eight of Wisconsin’s first 10 points, helping them grab control they never lost. And he did it in a variety of ways, with a game that — never mind his Illinois upbringing — resembled a European big man.

“He’s just so crafty down low,” junior guard Josh Gasser said – but that’s only partly correct. Kaminsky is crafty down low, and on the perimeter, and in between — and for Baylor as for Oregon before it, he was a matchup nightmare. Wisconsin will face the winner of the Arizona-San Diego State game on Saturday, with a trip to the Final Four on the line, and Kaminsky is a big (no pun intended) reason either team should be very concerned.

Defensively, his presence forced plenty of altered shots. And Baylor, which has been among the nation’s best offensive rebounding teams, managed just 11 and had only seven second-chance points.